KIDS ACTIVITIES IN MANCHESTER
Welcome to Manchester's Activities for Kids page.
We have a packed programme of activities for children of all ages across our vibrant city all year round. From soft play to parent and baby swimming, to coached lessons in BMX, Baskeball and much much more.
Our February Holiday programme will be live soon, with lots of family friendly activity taking place to keep the kids occupied during the school holiday.
Don't forget, Manchester residents aged 16 or under can swim for free in our Swim for All sessions throughout the holiday
Why not take a look too at our ongoing coached lessons and courses programme. These sessions take place all year round and include an amazing range of sports at our fantastic venues across Manchester.
FEBRUARY HALF TERM HOLIDAY ACTIVITIES
Join us throughout the school holiday in our fantastic pools. Sessions are available at:
Arcadia Library & Leisure Centre
East Manchester Leisure Centre
Hough End Leisure Centre
Abraham Moss Library & Leisure Centre
Days and times vary - click on your centre name above or click the button below and search for your preferred centre.
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Join us at the National Cycling Centre. Our expert British Cycling qualified coaches will help you develop your BMX skills to ride the track confidently and progress. Bikes and safety equipment provided. Participants must be able to ride a bike confidently.
BMX Open
- Monday 16th February and Friday 20th February
- 9am to 2pm for ages 7+
- £37 per day
#CityofCycling
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For 11-17 year olds, join us in our fantastic gyms for junior gym sessions. Available at:
Abraham Moss Library & Leisure Centre | Arcadia Library & Leisure Centre | Belle Vue Sports Village | East Manchester Leisure Centre | Hough End Leisure Centre | Manchester Aquatics Centre | Moss Side Leisure Centre | North City Family & Fitness Centre | Whalley Range Sports Centre
Click the centre name above or search below for your chosen centre. Bookings are available 7 days in advance.
Join us at Manchester Regional Arena, to enjoy a host of fun and energetic activities. Sports include Athletics, Squash, Tennis, Rugby and much more. Every day is different and children get to experience all sports on offer.
Tuesday 17th to Friday 20th February
10 - 4pm each day
For ages 8 – 14 years
£19.50 per day. An early drop off from 8.30am is available for just £4 per child, with a toast and fruit breakfast included.
Bring a packed lunch and a drinks bottle
Book now
Join us at Abraham Moss Leisure Centre for 1:1 swimming lessons. We understand that every person is different and has their own goals to achieve in the water.
We're offering 1-to-1 swimming lessons where our expert instructors create and tailor bespoke swim plans to help you or your child hit their targets.
This is a 5 week block of lessons with the first taking place during half term week. 30 minute sessions are available during the times shown
Thursday's 16.00 - 19.00 from 19th February
Sunday's 08.30 - 13.00 from 22nd February
For ages 4+
£125 for 5 x 30 minute lessons
Fun for all the family! Take the Aqua Splash challenge and try your nerve on our giant pool inflatables
Abraham Moss Library & Leisure Centre
Monday, Wednesday and Friday - 14.15 - 15.15 for ages 8+
East Manchester Leisure Centre
Monday & Friday 13.00 - 13.45 & 14.00-14.45
Manchester Aquatics Centre
Monday & Thursday - 12.45 & 14.00
Saturday - 15.30 -& 16.45
Sunday - 11.15 & 12.45
Click on the centre name above to book or hit the link below and search for your chosen venue.
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A fun aquatics holiday camp aimed at ages 8 to 13. Activities include swimming lessons, diving, waterpolo, fun and floats, aqua splash, table tennis, games, arts and crafts and more!
- Monday 16th to Friday 20th February
- 10am to 2.30pm
£13.75 per day or book a full week for £57.50
Bring your own suitable swimming attire, and a packed lunch.
Come on down to our Basketball Community Camp at Belle Vue Sports Village. Whether they’re completely new to the game or have played before, we offer a basketball community camp for children aged 7-16. Our structured coaching programme gives kids the chance to practice their dribbling, shooting, and passing with qualified coaches, building up the fundamentals of game play.
Monday 16th to Thursday 19th February
10am to 2pm for ages 7 to 11
£12 per day or £40 for the week
Come on down to our drop in Basketball sessions - click on the centre name to book
Abraham Moss Library & Leisure Centre
Sunday 22nd February
16.00-17:00 for ages 11+
£4.75.
Belle Vue Sports Village
Monday 16th to Thursday 19th February
For ages 11-17
06.30 - 07.30, 08.30 - 09.30 & 15.00 - 16.00
£3.15.
For adults and juniors take the plunge from our diving platforms at Manchester Aquatics Centre! To take part you must complete a short swim test to show you're able to swim 25m.
Tuesday 17th & Friday 20th - 12.45pm & 13.45pm
Saturday 21st - 10.30, 11.45 & 12.45
Sunday 22nd - 15.15 & 16.30
£7.05 (junior)
Please note that Dive for All sessions can be booked up to 7 days in advance.
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This half term we once again have two more fantastic ‘Train With’ camps at Manchester Regional Arena.
The perfect place to find out how fast they can go or how far they can throw and have great fun at the same time!
Long Jump - Train with Michael Fennel
One of the top long jump coaches in the UK
Monday 16th February
10am to 12 noon
For ages 11 to 16
£11 per session
Pole Vault - Train with Andy Ashhurst
Commonwealth Games Gold Medallist and Olympian
Wednesday 18th February
10am to 12 noon
For ages 11 to 16
£11 per session
Let the kids learn a new skill over the holidays whilst keeping active with our Rise Gymnastics Gymnastics sessions at Moss Side Leisure Centre
Suitable for beginners, your child will develop whilst buildng their confidence and co-ordination skills.
Monday 16th February
10am to 1pm
For ages 4+
£4 per day
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Enjoy family time in our pools this school holiday. We've got family fun swims, fun and floats sessions, plus our 'Swim for All' sessions. Choose:
Abraham Moss Library & Leisure Centre
Arcadia Library & Leisure Centre
Hough End Leisure Centre
East Manchester Leisure Centre
Manchester Aquatics Centre
Moss Side Leisure Centre
North City Family & Fitness Centre
To book, click on the centre name above or click the link below and select your chosen pool. You'll find sessions in the Swimming tab.
Don't forget Manchester residents aged 16 and under swim for free!
Book Now
Enjoy family time in our pools this school holiday. We've got fun and floats sessions for you to enjoy! Choose from:
Abraham Moss Library & Leisure Centre
Manchester Aquatics Centre
North City Family & Fitness Centre
To book, click on the centre name above or click the link below and select your chosen pool. You'll find sessions in the Swimming tab.
Don't forget Manchester residents aged 16 and under swim for free!
Book Now
Swimbies is our baby and parent swimming lessons programme. Join us at Abraham Moss Leisure Centre this half term for a 3 day course
Tuesday 17th 09.30 - 11.00
Thursday 19th 09.45 - 11.15
Saturday 21st -09.15 - 10.15
Ages 3months to school age
£37
Learn new skills on the squash court and tee up some family rivalry at the same time!
Abraham Moss Leisure Centre
Hough End Leisure Centre
Moss Side Leisure Centre
National Squash Centre
Click on the centre name or below to book. Bookings can be made 7 days in advance.
Book Now
As well as our Junior Gym sessions for 11-17 year olds, did you know you can also join us in our fantastic gyms for Adult and Junior sessions?
Abraham Moss Library & Leisure Centre | Arcadia Library & Leisure Centre | Belle Vue Sports Village | East Manchester Leisure Centre | Hough End Leisure Centre | Manchester Aquatics Centre | Moss Side Leisure Centre | North City Family & Fitness Centre | Whalley Range Sports Centre
Click below and search for your chosen centre. Bookings are available 7 days in advance.
Family Court Sports! Learn new skills on the badminton or basketball court, tee up some family rivalry with a game of table tennis or squash! Or try something new with Pickleball!
Abraham Moss Leisure Centre (B, Sq, P & TT)
Ardwick Sports Hall (B)
Belle Vue Leisure Centre (B, TT, BB)
Denmark Road Sports Centre (B, TT, BB)
East Manchester Leisure Centre (TT)
Hough End Leisure Centre (Sq, TT)
Moss Side Leisure Centre (B, P & Sq)National Cycling Centre (B)
National Squash Centre (Sq)
Click on the centre name or below to book. Bookings can be made 7 days in advance.
Book Now
Squash Stars is an unmissable junior programme for kids aged 5-9 starting in January:
📍 Moss Side Leisure Centre
Thursday 26th February to Thursday 2nd April - 16.00 - 16.45
📍Hough End Leisure Centre - Friday 27th February to Friday 3rd April -16.00 - 16.45
This six-week programme builds fundamental skills and confidence, encouraging kids to reach for the stars on and off court. For just £25, your child will get six sessions and a Squash Stars t-shirt. All equipment will be provided.
Find out more and enrol your childOUR ONGOING LESSONS & COURSES WHICH TAKE PLACE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR
TAKE A LOOK AT OUR FULL PROGRAMME
Swim School
We have swimming classes that cater for all levels of ability and ages.Teach your baby to learn to swim in our SWIMBiES classes, tailored to children ages 3 months to 4 years.
For 4 to 16 year olds, our engaging children's swim classes take place across our centres at affordable prices. Not only that, our Swim School helps your child gain confidence and independence in the water while having fun.
BMX
Join us at the world famous National Cycling Centre for a great range of coached BMX sessions. Our programme starts from age 2 with our Balance Bikes. You'll find Mini BMX, BMX Racer, Intro to Start hill and much much more.
Tennis
Our Junior tennis programme at Manchester Tennis & Football Centre has a development pathway from Tots Tennis for pre school children, through to Mini Tennis and full ball tennis; we offer lessons for beginners through to tournament players.
Rise Gymnastics
Giving all gymnasts a fun, well-rounded experience from the very start, we offer a range of courses for all ages and abilities.
Following the Rise Gymnastics programme we take young gymnasts through their first steps into gymnastics all the way to advanced skills and competitions.
Available at Moss Side Leisure Centre and Abraham Moss Library & Leisure Centre, sessions include:
- Discover Gymnastics for age 3 years
- Explore for age 5 years+
- Explore for age 8 years+
Basketball
Whether they’re completely new to the game or have played before, we offer a range of basketball lessons for children aged 4-11+. Our structured coaching programme gives kids the chance to practice their dribbling, shooting, and passing with qualified coaches, building up the fundamentals of game play. Groups are split by age, such as Mini Ballers for 4-7 years, Basketball for 5-10 years and 11+ lessons, helping your child enjoy the social benefits of the sport too as they spend time with their peers each week
Available at:
Abraham Moss Leisure Centre
Moss Side Leisure Centre
National Basketball Performance Centre
Athletics
Join us at the Manchester Regional Arena for two great athletics programmes:
Funetics is a programme which provides athletics sessions to help 4-11 year olds learn, develop and practise running, jumping and throwing skills all year round, for a healthy and confident future.
Run, Jump, Throw for ages 7 to 11 is a fun way to get fit and learn the fundamentals of agility, balance and coordination. Offering a great social environment, all delivered in our superb indoor and outdoor arenas.
Squash
Our Junior Squash programme is a fun way to get fit and learn the fundamentals of agility, balance, and coordination. Offering a great social environment in a programme full of games, led by England Squash qualified coaches. Our coached programme is available at:
Hough End Leisure Centre
Moss Side Leisure Centre
National Squash Centre
Diving
At the iconic Manchester Aquatics Centre we host our Diving Academy. As long as your child is able to swim competently in deep water, they can learn to dive as young as 5 years old.
Taekwondo
Join us at Arcadia Library & Leisure Centre for Junior Taekwondo. Taekwondo is a great way for children and young adults aged 8 - 17 years to develop fundamental skills such as balance, co-ordination, agility, and strength whilst learning a self-defence skill.
We're also looking to introduce a session at East Manchester Leisure Centre on a Tuesday evening, subject to demand.